1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for producing photographic roll films, which make it possible to produce at least two types of photographic roll films having different sizes.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, the photographic roll film is classified into several types including those called the 120 type and the 220 type. The 120 type photographic roll film comprises a spool, a photographic film strip wound around the spool, a shield paper strip wound around the spool together with the photographic film strip to serve as the back side paper for the photographic film strip, an adhesive tape for fixing the forward end of the product (rearward end during the production) of the photographic film strip to the shield paper strip, an opening seal wound around the outer circumference of the shield paper strip to avoid any winding looseness of the photographic film strip and the shield paper strip wound around the spool, and an enclosing seal for being used to avoid any winding looseness of the photographic film strip and the shield paper strip wound around another spool after the photographing operation.
The photographic film strip, which is used for the 120 type photographic roll film, has a length capable of photographing 12 frames in the case of the 6 cmxc3x976 cm format, a length capable of photographing 8 frames in the case of the brownie size 6 cmxc3x979 cm format, or a length capable of photographing 16 frames in the case of the half size 6 cmxc3x974.5 cm format.
Another photographic roll film of the half size type also exists, which has the same structure as that of the ordinary 120 type photographic roll film, provided that the lengths of the photographic film strip and the shield paper strip are about the half of those of the ordinary 120 type photographic roll film, making it possible to perform the photographing operation for 8 frames with the half size 6 cmxc3x974.5 cm format.
The 220 type photographic roll film is constructed in approximately the same manner as the 120 type except for the following points. That is, the back side paper is avoided, a leader and a trailer, which are made of the same material as that of the shield paper strip, are attached to the forward end and the rearward end of the photographic film strip. Thus, the photographic film strip, which is wound around the spool, is allowed to have a long size to increase the number of photographing frames.
The film information concerning the photographic film strip wound around the spool is previously printed on the shield paper strip, the opening seal, and the enclosing seal.
The film information includes the information indicating whether the photographic roll film is of the 120 type or the 220 type, the film size indicating whether the length of the photographic film strip is the full size or the half size, the ISO sensitivity, the film type indicating whether the photographic film strip is color or black-and-white and whether the photographic film is negative or reversal if the photographic film is color, and the treatment number indicating the development treatment method.
The film information and the serial number for indicating the production information such as the lot number and the processing sequence are side-printed on the photographic film strip during the production of the photographic roll film. The serial number is also printed on the opening seal during the production of the photographic roll film.
It has been suggested that any coded information indicating the classification of the 120 type and the 220 type is previously printed on the adhesive tape together with the film information. When the photographic roll film is charged in a camera to be used, a bar code of the adhesive tape is read by a bar code reader of the camera to be utilized. According to this technique, it is possible to automate various setting operations such as setting of the film sensitivity and the number of photographing frames and switching of the pressure plate, which have been hitherto performed by the manual operation.
However, the conventional production apparatus adopts the system for producing the photographic roll film concerning one size, for example, the full size. For this reason, when the photographic roll films concerning two or more sizes are produced, it is necessary that the production apparatuses are installed for the respective sizes. It is feared that the production equipment becomes large, the installation space is increased, and there is any limit of the reduction of the production cost.
The present invention has been made taking the foregoing problems into consideration, an object of which is to provide an apparatus and a method for producing photographic roll films, which make it possible to produce photographic roll films concerning two or more sizes in a switching manner with ease, realize a small size of the production equipment, reduce the installation space, and reduce the production cost.
According to the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for producing photographic roll films, comprising a film supply section for supplying a photographic film strip, a shield paper supply section for supplying a shield paper strip, a winding section for winding the photographic film strip and the shield paper strip around a spool, and a transport system for transporting the photographic film strip to the winding section; wherein the film supply section includes a film-cutting means for cutting a lengthy photographic film fed from a film roll into those having a length suitable for a film size included in film information; the apparatus further comprises a transport operation-changing means for changing transport operation for the photographic film strip depending on the film size, between the film supply section and the transport system for the photographic film strip; and the apparatus further comprises a timing-changing means for changing transport timing depending on the film size, for the transport system for the photographic film strip and a transport system for the shield paper strip.
Accordingly, at first, the lengthy photographic film, which is fed from the film roll, is cut into those having the length suitable for the film size included in the film information, by means of the film-cutting means.
Subsequently, the transport operation-changing means, which is installed between the film supply section and the transport system for the photographic film strip, is used to change the transport operation for the photographic film strip depending on the film size.
The timing-changing means changes the transport timing for the photographic film strip and the transport timing for the shield paper strip to be transported to the winding section depending on the film size.
In other words, in the present invention, the cutting is performed to give the photographic film strip suitable for the film size included in the film information. The transport operation for the photographic film strip is also changed depending on the film size. Further, the transport timing for the photographic film strip and the transport timing for the shield paper strip to be transported to the winding section are changed depending on the film size.
Therefore, in the present invention, the photographic roll films concerning two or more sizes can be easily produced in a switching manner. Thus, it is possible to realize a small scale of the production equipment, reduce the installation space, and reduce the production cost.
It is preferable that the film-cutting means cuts the lengthy photographic film on the basis of a start signal corresponding to the film size supplied from a start signal-generating means to give a photographic film strip having a length suitable for a current film size.
In this arrangement, the start signal-generating means may include an origin signal-generating means for generating a plurality of origin signals corresponding to the film sizes; and a selector section for selecting an origin signal corresponding to the current film size, of the plurality of origin signals supplied from the origin signal-generating means so that the selected origin signal is outputted as a start signal.
The origin signal-generating means may include a power transmission mechanism for being driven by a driving source of a driving motor for a suction drum for transporting the lengthy photographic film supplied from the film roll while allowing the lengthy photographic film to make tight contact by the aid of suction of air; the power transmission mechanism being operated such that driving force of the driving motor is transmitted to each of circular plates of a number corresponding to types of the film size to be included in the film information so that each of the corresponding circular plates is rotated to make one turn when the lengthy photographic film is transported in an amount of a length corresponding to each the film sizes; and sensors attached to the respective circular plates, each of which outputs a detection signal when each of the corresponding circular plates is rotated to make one turn.
On the other hand, it is also preferable that the transport operation-changing means changes the transport operation for the photographic film strip so that low speed transport for the photographic film strip is performed only when the photographic film strip is cut, irrelevant to the film size.
Accordingly, it is possible to decrease the difference in linear speed with respect to the belt when the photographic film strip is stopped to cut the photographic film strip. Thus, it is possible to perform the transport without deteriorating the quality of the film. Further, it is possible to obtain an approximately constant speed of the feed of the photographic film strip to the winding section, regardless of the length of the photographic film strip. Thus, it is possible to efficiently produce the photographic film strips having different sizes.
In this arrangement, it is also preferable that the transport operation-changing means includes at least two conveyer apparatuses; a length of the upstream side conveyer apparatus of the conveyer apparatuses is set to be substantially the same as a length of the shortest photographic film strip; and a total length of the conveyer apparatuses for constructing the transport operation-changing means is substantially the same as a length of the longest photographic film strip.
It is preferable that when each of the conveyer apparatuses is of a type to transport the photographic film strip while nipping it with an upper conveyer and a lower conveyer; a downstream side roller of the upper conveyer of the upstream side conveyer apparatus is positioned over an upstream side roller of the lower conveyer of the downstream side conveyer apparatus.
The timing-changing means may include a first sensor installed in the transport system for the photographic film strip, for detecting a forward end of the photographic film strip irrelevant to the film size to output a signal to facilitate once-stop; a second sensor installed in the transport system for the photographic film strip, for detecting a forward end of the shortest photographic film strip to output a signal to facilitate once-stop; a cutter installed in the transport system for the shield paper strip to be fed to the winding section, for once-stopping the shield paper strip to cut it into those having a prescribed length; and a sensor installed in the transport system for the shield paper strip, for detecting a forward end inclined section of the shield paper strip corresponding to the shortest photographic film strip to output a signal to facilitate once-stop.
It is preferable that an appearance-inspecting means for inspecting appearance of the spool is installed in a station disposed at an upstream stage of a station for winding the photographic film strip and the shield paper strip around the spool, of a plurality of stations for constructing the winding section.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for producing photographic roll films, comprising a film supply section for supplying a photographic film strip, a shield paper supply section for supplying a shield paper strip, a winding section for winding the photographic film strip and the shield paper strip around a spool, and a transport system for transporting the photographic film strip to the winding section; wherein the film supply section includes a feed control apparatus for a lengthy photographic film as an original sheet for the photographic film strip; and the feed control apparatus includes a rotation control means for calculating a winding diameter of a film roll on the basis of a number of revolution of a driving motor obtained when the lengthy photographic film is fed in a predetermined length corresponding to a preset film size from the film roll with the lengthy photographic film wound therearound, and calculating a number of revolution to be used to feed the lengthy photographic film in the predetermined length within a predetermined period of time on the basis of the winding diameter so that the number of revolution is used as a corrected number of revolution; and a motor control means for making feedback control so that the number of revolution of the driving motor is changed to the corrected number of revolution within a predetermined period of time, while comparing the corrected number of revolution supplied from the rotation control means with a current number of revolution of the driving motor.
Accordingly, at first, the rotation control means is used to calculate the winding diameter of the film roll on the basis of the number of revolution of the driving motor when the lengthy photographic film is fed in the predetermined length from the film roll. The number of revolution, which is used to feed the lengthy photographic film in the predetermined length within the predetermined period of time, is calculated on the basis of the obtained winding diameter, and the obtained number of revolution is used as the corrected number of revolution.
The motor control means disposed at the downstream stage is used to make the feedback control so that the number of revolution of the driving motor becomes the corrected number of revolution within the predetermined period of time, while comparing the corrected number of revolution fed from the rotation control means with the current number of revolution of the driving motor.
In this arrangement, the lengthy photographic film can be continuously fed by rotating the film roll at the number of revolution corresponding to the winding diameter of the film roll. Thus, it is possible to efficiently feed the lengthy photographic film to the transport system disposed at the downstream stage.
The rotation control means is used such that the winding diameter of the film roll is calculated on the basis of the predetermined length corresponding to the film size to determine the corrected number of revolution corresponding to the winding diameter. Therefore, the lengthy photographic film can be fed from the film roll at the optimum number of revolution in conformity with the type of the photographic film strip to be manufactured.
Therefore, according to the apparatus for producing photographic roll films concerning the present invention, the photographic roll films concerning the two or more sizes can be easily produced in a switching manner. It is possible to realize a small scale of the production equipment, reduce the installation space, and reduce the production cost.
The rotation control means may include a winding diameter-calculating means for calculating the winding diameter of the film roll on the basis of the number of revolution of the driving motor when the lengthy photographic film is fed in the predetermined length from the film roll; and a number of revolution-correcting means for calculating the number of revolution for the lengthy photographic film to be fed in the predetermined length within the predetermined period of time on the basis of winding diameter information fed from the winding diameter-calculating means to make output as the corrected number of revolution.
In this arrangement, the winding diameter-calculating means may include a number of revolution-detecting means for detecting the number of revolution of the driving motor for driving and rotating the film roll; a feed amount-detecting means for detecting a feed amount of the lengthy photographic film from the film roll effected by the rotary driving of the motor; a film length-detecting section for comparing information fed from the feed amount-detecting means with the predetermined length to measure a period of time during which the lengthy photographic film is fed in the predetermined length; a number of revolution-counting section for counting the number of revolution of the motor over the period of time of the measurement performed by the film length-detecting section; and a winding diameter-calculating section for calculating a current winding diameter of the film roll on the basis of a counted value fed from the number of revolution-counting section and a value corresponding to the predetermined length.
Those usable as the number of revolution-detecting means include an encoder for making conversion and output of an electric signal having a number of pulses corresponding to the number of revolution of the driving motor, and a sensor for outputting a detection signal when a circular plate attached to a driving shaft is rotated to make one turn.
The production apparatus of the present invention may further comprise a roller for guiding the lengthy photographic film fed from the film roll to a transport line disposed at a downstream stage; wherein an encoder for making conversion and output of an electric signal having a number of pulses corresponding to the number of revolution of the roller may be used as the feed amount-detecting means.
Alternatively, the apparatus may further comprise a dancer roller for absorbing feed of the lengthy photographic film caused by transport stop of the lengthy photographic film as a result of cutting of the lengthy photographic film; wherein an electronic component for making conversion and output of an electric signal having a level corresponding to a movement distance of the dancer roller is used as the feed amount-detecting means.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for producing photographic roll films, comprising a film supply section for supplying a photographic film strip, a shield paper supply section for supplying a shield paper strip, a winding section for winding the photographic film strip and the shield paper strip around a spool, and a transport system for transporting the photographic film strip to the winding section; wherein the apparatus further comprises a printing apparatus for printing various information on the photographic film strip; and the printing apparatus starts printing on the basis of input of a start signal corresponding to a film size fed from a start signal-generating means, and it performs printing on the photographic film strip in accordance with inputted printing data.
Accordingly, the information based on the printing data can be correctly and easily printed on a portion of the photographic film strip corresponding to the current film size.
As a result, when the apparatus for producing photographic roll films according to the present invention is used, it is possible to easily produce the photographic roll films concerning two or more sizes in a switching manner. It is possible to realize a small scale of production equipment, reduce the installation space, and reduce the production cost.
The start signal-generating means may include an origin signal-generating means for generating a plurality of origin signals corresponding to the film sizes; and a selector section for selecting an origin signal corresponding to a current film size, of the plurality of origin signals supplied from the origin signal-generating means so that the selected origin signal is outputted as a start signal.
In this arrangement, the origin signal-generating means may include a power transmission mechanism for being driven by a driving source of a driving motor for a suction drum for transporting the photographic film strip while allowing the photographic film strip to make tight contact by the aid of suction of air; the power transmission mechanism being operated such that driving force of the driving motor is transmitted to each of circular plates of a number corresponding to types of the film size to be included in the film information so that each of the corresponding circular plates is rotated to make one turn when the photographic film strip is transported in an amount of a length corresponding to each the film sizes; and sensors attached to the respective circular plates, each of which outputs a detection signal when each of the corresponding circular plates is rotated to make one turn.
The origin signal-generating means may include a first origin signal-generating means for generating a first origin signal for a full size, and a second origin signal-generating means for generating a second origin signal for a half size.
In this arrangement, the first origin signal-generating means may include a first pulley fixed to a rotary shaft of the driving motor for rotating and driving the suction drum; a second pulley to which rotary driving of the first pulley is transmitted by the aid of a belt; and the first circular plate for making rotation together with the second pulley. The second origin signal-generating means may include a third pulley fixed to a rotary shaft of the driving motor for rotating and driving the suction drum; a fourth pulley to which rotary driving of the third pulley is transmitted by the aid of a belt; and the second circular plate for making rotation together with the fourth pulley.
The origin signal-generating means may include a first decelerator having an input/output ratio of full size film length/full size film length coupled to a rotary shaft of a driving motor of a suction drum; a second decelerator having an input/output ratio of full size film length/full size film length coupled to the first decelerator via a belt drive system; a second circular plate coupled to a rotary shaft of the second decelerator; a third decelerator having an input/output ratio of full size film length/half size film length coupled to the second circular plate; and a first circular plate coupled to a rotary shaft of the third decelerator.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for producing photographic roll films, comprising a film supply section for supplying a photographic film strip, a shield paper supply section for supplying a shield paper strip, a winding section for winding the photographic film strip and the shield paper strip around a spool, and a transport system for transporting the photographic film strip to the winding section; wherein the apparatus further comprises a transport apparatus for sticking a tape member such as an adhesive tape to the photographic film strip; the transport apparatus includes a plurality of transport roller pairs corresponding to types of film sizes, installed at a transport passage disposed at a downstream stage of a tape-sticking section for sticking the tape; and the apparatus further comprises a control means for making control to successively select a plurality of preset transport roller pairs of the plurality of transport roller pairs corresponding to the film size so that any one of the transport roller pair of the plurality of successively selected transport roller pairs is used to transport the photographic film strip.
Accordingly, at first, the control means successively selects the plurality of preset transport roller pairs corresponding to the film size, of the plurality of transport roller pairs. In this arrangement, the photographic film strip is not transported by the plurality of transport roller pairs, but the photographic film strip is transported by one transport roller pair.
For example, the photographic film strip is transported by the transport roller pair disposed nearest to the tape-sticking section at the stage at which the forward end of the photographic film strip passes through the tape-sticking section. The tape is stuck to the photographic film strip at the tape-sticking section at the stage at which the forward end of the photographic film strip arrives at the transport roller pair corresponding to the film size of the photographic film strip. After that, the photographic film strip is transported to the downstream process steps by the transport roller pair corresponding to the film size of the photographic film strip, not by the transport roller pair disposed nearest to the tape-sticking section.
As described above, according to the apparatus for producing photographic roll films concerning the present invention, the photographic roll films concerning two or more sizes can be easily produced in a switching manner. Thus, it is possible to realize a small scale of the production equipment, reduce the installation space, and reduce the production cost.
When the apparatus constructed as described above is adapted to a full size and a half size of the photographic film strip, first to third transport roller pairs are installed. When the photographic film strip to be stuck with the tape is of the full size, the control means successively selects the first transport roller pair disposed nearest to the tape-sticking section and the third transport roller pair disposed furthest from the tape-sticking section depending on a transport state of the photographic film strip so that the photographic film strip is transported by any one of the transport roller pair of the first and third transport roller pairs.
In other words, when the photographic film strip is of the full size, the control means successively selects the first transport roller pair and the third transport roller pair. In this process, the photographic film strip of the full size is transported by the first transport roller pair at the stage at which the forward end of the photographic film strip passes through the tape-sticking section. The tape is stuck to the photographic film strip at the tape-sticking section at the stage at which the forward end of the photographic film strip arrives at the third transport roller pair. After that, the photographic film strip is transported to the process steps disposed at the downstream stage by the aid of the third transport roller pair.
When the photographic film strip to be stuck with the tape is of the half size, the control means successively selects the first to third transport roller pairs depending on a transport state of the photographic film strip so that the photographic film strip is transported by any one of the transport roller pair of the first to third transport roller pairs.
In other words, when the photographic film strip is of the half size, the control means successively selects the first to third transport roller pairs. In this process, the photographic film strip of the half size is transported by the first transport roller pair at the stage at which the forward end of the photographic film strip passes through the tape-sticking section. The tape is stuck to the photographic film strip at the tape-sticking section at the stage at which the forward end of the photographic film strip arrives at the second transport roller pair. After that, the photographic film strip is transported by the second transport roller pair. At the stage at which the forward end of the photographic film strip arrives at the third transport roller pair, the photographic film strip is in turn transported by the third transport roller pair to the process steps disposed at the downstream stage.
The apparatus constructed as described above may further comprise a first sensor installed in the vicinity of the third transport roller pair, for detecting a forward end of the photographic film strip irrelevant to the film size to output a signal to facilitate once-transport stop; and a second sensor installed in the vicinity of the second transport roller pair, for detecting a forward end of the photographic film strip of the half size to output a signal to facilitate once-transport stop; wherein the tape-sticking section sticks the tape member to the photographic film strip, i.e., to the photographic film strip of the full size on the basis of the output of the signal from the first sensor, or to the photographic film strip of the half size on the basis of the output of the signal from the second sensor.
Accordingly, the tape member can be reliably stuck to the full size photographic film strip and the half size photographic film strip. Thus, it is possible to improve the quality.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for producing photographic roll films by winding a photographic film strip fed from a film supply section and a shield paper strip fed from a shield paper supply section around a spool while superimposing the photographic film strip and the shield paper strip to produce the photographic roll film; the method comprising a cutting process for cutting a lengthy photographic film fed from a film roll into those having a length suitable for a film size included in film information; a transport operation-changing process for changing transport operation for the photographic film strip after the cutting depending on the film size; and a transport timing-changing process for changing transport timing for the photographic film strip and transport timing for the shield paper strip depending on the film size.
The cutting process may include cutting the lengthy photographic film on the basis of a start signal corresponding to the film size to obtain the photographic film strip having a length suitable for a current film size.
In this process, the start signal may be based on an origin signal corresponding to the current film size, of a plurality of origin signals corresponding to the film sizes.
For example, the method may be carried out such that driving force of a driving motor for a suction drum, which is used to transport the lengthy photographic film fed from the film roll while making tight contact by the aid of suction of air, is transmitted to circular plates of a number corresponding to types of the film sizes included in the film information, each of the corresponding circular plates is rotated to make one turn when the lengthy photographic film is transported in a length of each of the corresponding film sizes, and the start signal is outputted when each of the circular plate is rotated to make one turn.
The transport operation for the photographic film strip may be changed in the transport operation-changing process so that low speed transport is performed for the photographic film strip only when the photographic film strip is cut, irrelevant to the film size.
The transport timing-changing process may include a photographic film strip transport stop process for detecting a forward end of the photographic film strip to facilitate once-stop irrelevant to the film size and detecting a forward end of the shortest photographic film strip to facilitate once-stop; and a shield paper stop process for once-stopping the shield paper strip to cut it into those having a prescribed length, and detecting a forward end inclined section of the shield paper strip corresponding to the shortest photographic film strip to facilitate once-stop.
It is preferable that appearance of the spool is inspected before performing a process for winding the photographic film strip and the shield paper strip around the spool.
It is also preferable that a heater block for thermal adhesion, which is exchangeable depending on the film size, is used for a seal-winding process for winding an opening seal around outer circumference of the shield paper strip wound around the spool.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for producing photographic roll films by winding a photographic film strip fed from a film supply section and a shield paper strip fed from a shield paper supply section around a spool while superimposing the photographic film strip and the shield paper strip to produce the photographic roll film; the method comprising feeding the photographic film strip from the film supply section; wherein a winding diameter of a film roll is calculated on the basis of a number of revolution of a driving motor when a lengthy photographic film is fed in a predetermined length corresponding to a preset film size from the film roll wound with the lengthy photographic film as an original sheet of the photographic film strip; a number of revolution is calculated on the basis of the winding diameter to obtain a corrected number of revolution with which the lengthy photographic film is to be fed in the predetermined length within a predetermined period of time; and feedback control is made so that the number of revolution of the driving motor becomes the corrected number of revolution within a predetermined period of time while comparing the corrected number of revolution with a current number of revolution of the driving motor.
Accordingly, the lengthy photographic film can be continuously fed by rotating the film roll at the number of revolution corresponding to the winding diameter of the film roll. Thus, it is possible to efficiently feed the lengthy photographic film to the transport system disposed at the downstream stage.
In the process for determining the corrected number of revolution, the winding diameter of the film roll is calculated on the basis of the predetermined length corresponding to the film size to determine the corrected number of revolution corresponding to the winding diameter. Therefore, the lengthy photographic film can be fed from the film roll at the optimum number of revolution corresponding to the type of the photographic film strip to be manufactured.
Therefore, according to the method for producing photographic roll films concerning the present invention, the photographic roll films concerning two or more sizes can be easily produced in a switching manner. Thus, it is possible to realize a small scale of the production equipment, reduce the installation space, and reduce the production cost.
The process for obtaining the corrected number of revolution may include a process for calculating the winding diameter of the film roll on the basis of the number of revolution of the driving motor when the lengthy photographic film is fed in the predetermined length from the film roll; and a process for calculating the number of revolution for the lengthy photographic film to be fed in the predetermined length within the predetermined period of time on the basis of the winding diameter to give the corrected number of revolution.
In this method, the process for obtaining the winding diameter may include a process for detecting the number of revolution of the driving motor for driving and rotating the film roll; a process for detecting a feed amount of the lengthy photographic film from the film roll effected by the rotary driving of the driving motor; a process for comparing the feed amount with the predetermined length to measure a period of time during which the lengthy photographic film is fed in the predetermined length; a process for counting the number of revolution of the motor over the period of time of the measurement; and a process for calculating a current winding diameter of the film roll on the basis of an obtained counted value and a value corresponding to the predetermined length.
In the process for detecting the number of revolution of the driving motor, it is possible to use an encoder for making conversion and output of an electric signal having a number of pulses corresponding to the number of revolution of the driving motor, and a sensor for outputting a detection signal when a circular plate attached to a driving shaft is rotated to make one turn.
In the process for detecting the feed amount of the lengthy photographic film from the film roll, it is possible to use a roller for guiding the lengthy photographic film fed from the film roll to a transport line disposed at a downstream stage; and an encoder for making conversion and output of an electric signal having a number of pulses corresponding to the number of revolution of the roller.
Alternatively, it is possible to use a dancer roller for absorbing feed of the lengthy photographic film caused by transport stop of the lengthy photographic film as a result of cutting of the lengthy photographic film; and an electronic component for making conversion and output of an electric signal having a level corresponding to a movement distance of the dancer roller.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for producing photographic roll films by winding a photographic film strip fed from a film supply section and a shield paper strip fed from a shield paper supply section around a spool while superimposing the photographic film strip and the shield paper strip to produce the photographic roll film; the method comprising a photographic film printing process for printing various information on the photographic film strip; wherein the photographic film printing process is executed such that printing is started on the basis of input of a start signal corresponding to a film size, and printing is performed on the photographic film strip in accordance with inputted printing data.
It is also preferable that the start signal is generated by selecting an origin signal corresponding to a current film size, of a plurality of origin signals generated in conformity with the film size.
In this method, it is also preferable that the origin signal is generated such that a driving motor for a suction drum, which is used to transport the lengthy photographic film fed from the film roll while allowing the lengthy photographic film to make tight contact by the aid of suction of air, is used as a driving source; driving force of the driving motor is transmitted to each of circular plates of a number corresponding to types of the film size to be included in the film information; each of the corresponding circular plates is rotated to make one turn when the lengthy photographic film is transported in an amount of a length corresponding to each the film sizes; and detection is made for the fact that each of the corresponding circular plates is rotated to make one turn.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for producing photographic roll films by winding a photographic film strip fed from a film supply section and a shield paper strip fed from a shield paper supply section around a spool while superimposing the photographic film strip and the shield paper strip to produce the photographic roll film; wherein the method comprises a tape-sticking transport process for sticking a tape member such as an adhesive tape to the photographic film strip; the tape-sticking transport process includes using a plurality of transport roller pairs corresponding to types of film sizes, installed at a transport passage disposed at a downstream stage of a tape-sticking section for sticking the tape; and control is made to successively select a plurality of preset transport 10 roller pairs of the plurality of transport roller pairs corresponding to the film size so that any one of the transport roller pair of the plurality of successively selected transport roller pairs is used to transport the photographic film strip.
Accordingly, the photographic roll films concerning two or more sizes can be easily produced in a switching manner. Thus, it is possible to realize a small scale of the production equipment, reduce the installation space, and reduce the production cost.
In the method described above, it is also preferable that first to third transport roller pairs installed corresponding to a full size and a half size of the photographic film strip are used; when the photographic film strip to be stuck with the tape is of the full size, the first transport roller pair disposed nearest to the tape-sticking section and the third transport roller pair disposed furthest from the tape-sticking section are successively selected depending on a transport state of the photographic film strip to make control such that the photographic film strip is transported by any one of the transport roller pair of the first to third transport roller pairs; and when the photographic film strip to be stuck with the tape is of the half size, the first to third transport roller pairs are successively selected depending on a transport state of the photographic film strip to make control such that the photographic film strip is transported by any one of the transport roller pair of the first to third transport roller pairs.
It is also preferable that the method may further comprise using a first sensor installed in the vicinity of the third transport roller pair, for detecting a forward end of the photographic film strip irrelevant to the film size to output a signal to facilitate once-transport stop; and a second sensor installed in the vicinity of the second transport roller pair, for detecting a forward end of the photographic film strip of the half size to output a signal to facilitate once-transport stop; wherein the tape member is stuck to the photographic film strip, i.e., to the photographic film strip of the full size on the basis of the output of the signal from the first sensor, or to the photographic film strip of the half size on the basis of the output of the signal from the second sensor.
The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.